The present invention relates to a flap assembly for a motor vehicle, with a body flap, in particular a front flap, which closes an assembly space of the motor vehicle and is pivotable between a closed state and an open state.
It is known to provide a front end of a passenger motor vehicle with a front flap or engine hood which closes an engine compartment which is located in the front end. A rear end of the front flap is customarily arranged adjacent, with a predetermined distance, to a windshield. Rainwater, for example, can drain from the windshield into a gap between the front flap and the windshield and is collected there via a “cowl covering”, which may also be referred to as a water tank covering or assembly space covering. The water is then conducted away from at least one lowest point of the cowl covering. A cowl covering of this type is customarily a plastics injection molding component and has walls at suitable locations in order to collect the draining rainwater and to conduct the same away to the lowest point of the cowl covering.
Furthermore, a known motor vehicle of this type has an interior compartment ventilation device or interior compartment air conditioning device which is arranged adjacent to a vehicle interior compartment and sucks up fresh air in the region of the cowl covering. However, a sucking up action in the region of the cowl covering is problematic in so far as relatively large contaminants, such as, for example, foliage, may collect in the region of the cowl covering and, as a result, may also enter into a region of the air intake of the air conditioning device. This damages the interior compartment air conditioning device.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a flap assembly for a motor vehicle, in which entry of contaminants into the assembly (equipment) space is suppressed or is at least reduced.
This and other objects are achieved by a flap assembly for a motor vehicle according to the invention. The flap assembly has a front flap which closes an assembly space of the motor vehicle and is pivotable between a closed state and an open state. The front flap has a flap wall which, in the closed state of the front flap, extends substantially in a vertical direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, the assembly space has an assembly space wall, wherein the flap wall and the assembly space wall are formed opposite each other in the closed state of the front flap, and therefore a sealing action is produced in order to prevent entry of contaminants, in particular of foliage and the like, into the assembly space.
Opposite each other means that the flap wall and the assembly space wall overlap in the closed state of the front flap and are arranged here, for example, substantially parallel to each other. The sealing action is achieved here in the manner of a labyrinth, wherein it is prevented in particular that solid contaminants pass through the labyrinth formed from the flap wall and the assembly space wall. The flap wall and the assembly space wall can also be arranged at an angle or obliquely to each other. In particular, the flap wall and the assembly space wall can be arranged in such a manner that, in the closed state of the flap, a distance between the flap wall and the assembly space wall is reduced or increased in the vertical direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, the flap wall and the assembly space wall may alternatively or additionally also be arranged in such a manner that, in the closed state of the flap, a distance between the flap wall and the assembly space wall is reduced or increased in a direction parallel to the flap. In all of these cases, the flap wall and the assembly space wall should be arranged opposite each other at least still to the extent that a labyrinth function is maintained.
The assembly space may be a space in which one or more assemblies (equipment) of the motor vehicle, such as, for example, an engine, a pump, an interior compartment air conditioning device, electrical and electronic components and systems, etc. can be located.
According to a preferred development of the present invention, a water collecting region is formed in a region below a rear end of the front flap and adjacent to a windshield of the motor vehicle, wherein the assembly space wall is part of the water collecting region.
A water collecting region serves in particular to collect water which drains from the windshield, and then to conduct said water away from the water collecting region via suitable water outlets without the water disadvantageously being able to enter the assembly space located below and/or next to the water collecting region. The water collecting region is preferably formed by a “cowl covering”, which may also be called an assembly space covering or water tank covering. The assembly space wall, as part of the water collecting region, forms a dam or a barrier here which prevents the water from running at an undesirable location into the assembly space and not draining through the predetermined water outlet.
In the case of the flap assembly according to the present invention, the flap wall and the assembly space wall can preferably be arranged in an air intake region of an assembly, in particular of an interior compartment ventilation device, such as, for example, an interior compartment air conditioning device, wherein air can be sucked up through a gap between the flap and the assembly space or an opening in the front flap.
For an interior compartment ventilation device, it is necessary for sufficiently clean air to be sucked up, wherein this is frequently the case in the abovementioned water collecting region. For this purpose, a sufficient air through opening has to be present between the closed flap and an outer side, wherein this air can then be supplied to the interior compartment ventilation device or can be sucked up there by the interior compartment ventilation device via the labyrinth like region between assembly space wall and flap wall.
If the flap wall and the assembly space wall are located in an air intake region, the flap wall is preferably arranged upstream of the assembly space wall in the air intake direction in the closed state of the front flap.
According to a further development, the flap wall is arranged in a seal free region of the front flap.
Accordingly, the flap wall and the opposite assembly space wall do not form a completely fluidtight, in particular gastight, arrangement in the closed state of the front flap. For example, an elastic rubber seal is not arranged between the front flap and a body side element in this region. This is advantageous to the extent that air can thereby be supplied from the outside to within the flap wall or to within the assembly space.
The flap wall preferably has through holes which are arranged in particular in the manner of a grid. Depending on anticipated contaminations by way of foliage and the like, the grid or the through holes can be arranged in such a manner that they permit a passage of air but can substantially retain foliage and other relatively large solids. The through holes can be provided in a number and size suitable for this purpose. For example, the through holes can be slots which are arranged next to one another and, in the closed state of the front flap, extend substantially in a vertical direction of the vehicle.
Additionally or alternatively, through holes can also be formed in the assembly space wall, which through holes can likewise be designed in such a manner that a passage of air is possible, but anticipated large contaminants, such as, for example, foliage, are retained.
In the closed state of the flap, a distance of 1 to 50 mm is preferably formed between the flap wall and the assembly space wall. In particular, a distance of 3 to 20 mm is advantageously formed. Particularly preferably, a distance of 5 to 15 mm is formed.
Furthermore, an overlap in the vertical direction of the vehicle between the flap wall and the assembly space wall may be, for example, 5 to 100 mm, wherein a particularly preferred and effective range is 20 to 50 mm.
These dimensions, i.e. the overlap and spacing of the flap wall and the assembly space wall, permit firstly a sufficient labyrinth function, as already described above, of the flap wall and the assembly space wall with a simultaneous passage of air and, secondly, nevertheless sufficient manufacturing tolerances of the front flap, the flap wall, the assembly space wall and further components of the motor vehicle as well as sufficient clearances for adjusting a position of the front flap via flap hinges.
The flap wall is preferably attached releasably to an inner side of the front flap. By this means, the flap wall is interchangeable and can be designed to be structurally highly flexible and can optionally be realized in particularly lightweight form.
Alternatively, however, the flap wall may also be an integral part of the front flap, wherein the front flap can be composed, for example, of a fiber reinforced plastic or a metallic material, such as, for example, aluminum or steel.
The flap wall, in particular in the case in which it is attached releasably to an inner side of the front flap, is preferably a plastics injection molded part.
Additionally or alternatively, the assembly space wall can be a plastics injection molded part.
In the case in which the assembly space wall is part of a water collecting region, the assembly space wall can be formed integrally together with the water collecting region as a plastics injection molded part.
The flap wall preferably extends substantially in a transverse direction of the vehicle and/or in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. However the flap wall may also run transversely and be suitably curved.
According to a preferred development, the flap wall and the assembly space wall are arranged in the region of a flap hinge of the front flap. The flap hinge can be fastened here, in particular, laterally to a body support. A gap is produced here between the assembly space wall or the flap wall and the body support, via which gap air can be supplied to, for example, the interior space ventilation device.
The flap wall is preferably designed as a foliage catching fence.
The above developments of the invention may be combined as desired with one another to the extent expedient and possible.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.